Typewriting machine



G. W. CAMPBELL.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

APPL-ICATION FILED 6.20. 1920.

Patented Sept 26 Patented Slept. 26,

siren taste since.-

GEORGE W. CAMPBELL, 0F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB '10 UNDERWOOD TYPEVJRITER COMPANY, OF NEVI YORK, N. 13. 1 3. CORPORATION OIE DELAWARE.

:rrrnwnrrrne Macrame.

T 0 all whom it may 007106T7Z- Be it known that 1, Gnonen W. CAMP- BELL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Hartford, in the county of 'Hartford and State of Connecticut, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Typewriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to line-spacing mechanism for typewriting machines, and its object is to produce a light, simple and durable mechanism, so that it may be used with a portable typewriting machine.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the lefthand end of a carriage of an Underwood portable typewriting machine, showing the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the parts shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional side view, showing the left-hand end of the carriage, the line-spacing mechanism being set to eifect double line-spacing movements of the platen. A line-space detent, which is in its ineffective position, is also shown.

Figure & is a perspective view, as seen from the upper left-hand corner and from the front of the machine, of the line-spacing mechanism.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, and shows the line-spacing mechanism set to effect a single line-space movement of the platen.

Figure 6 is a side view of the detent throw off lever, and shows the position which it normally bears relatively to the line-space detent.

The line-space lever 10, having a fingerpiece 11, may be swung rightwardly (Figures 1 and 4) about a pivot stud 12, to draw a line-space pawl 13 rearwardly by means of an arm 14 of the line-space lever 10; the

1 pawl 13 being in the form of a slide and pivotally connected to the arm-14; by means of a shouldered screw 15 threaded into said arm. The pawl 13 may be provided with a tooth 16, which may be formed on one side thereof to engage a line-space wheel 17 secured to a platen axle or shaft 18 to rotate a platen 20, the tooth 16 being normally out of engagement with the line-space wheel 17. A return spring 21 may be connected between a fixed stud 22 on a left-hand end plate-23 of aplaten frame 24: and an car 25 on the arm l l, to return the line-space lever 10 and the pawl 13. To facilitate ready assemblage, the pivot stud 12 for the line-space lever 10 may comprise a shank 27 which is received in an opening 28 of a lug 30 secured to the left-hand end plate 23. The3stud 12 may be held in position by means of a set-screw 31. i

By an inspection of Figures 3 and 5, it

will be seen that the line-space. pawl 13 is provided with a nose 32 to bear'against an extension 33 of the end plate 23, said extension serving as a stop to arrest the pawl 13 in its normal position. To arrest the rearward movement ofthe line-space pawl, there is provided a stop 34 projecting from the end plate 23 into a slot 35 in the linespace pawl; the forward end 36 of the slot engaging the stop. when the line-space pawl is operated.

The lower edge of the slot 35 in the linespace pawl 13, when the latter is operated, is brought close to the lower side of the stop 3 1, there being suflicient clearance to allow a slight upward movement of the pawl over a tooth of the line-space wheel 17 when the awl is returning .toits normal position. otation of the platen, while the line-space pawl is in its operated position, is prevented, due to the fact that the tooth of the line-space wheel 17 under the tooth 16 of the line-space pawl has a tendency to swing the line-space pawl upwardly, and

this upward movement is checked by the stop 34,; consequently, overthrow of the platen at the end of a line-space operation is revented.

ne or more line-space movements of the platen may be efiected by setting the free end of the line-space pawltowards and away from theline-space wheel which has its teeth formed on its periphery, so that the tooth 16 may engage the line-space wheel sooner or later when operated by the line-space lever 10. To set the pawl, there is provided a linespace controlling element 37 pivotally mounted on the platen-shaft 18. The controlling element or regulator 37 is provided with a'finger-piece 38 projecting laterally through a slot 40 in the end plate 23, so that the controlling element may be operated. The line-space regulator is also provided with a forked upward extension 41 having a slot 42 therein to guide the line-space pawl 13 in its movement back and forth. The line-space pawl 13 is provided at its lower end with an uninterrupted guiding surface 1-3 to rest upon a shoulder 1 1 at the lower end of the slot 42 and to guide the pawl or slide 13 for substantially tangential movement relatively to the line-space ratchetwheel 17, to or from the normal position of the pawl or slide. The shoulder at is so shaped that when the line-space regulator 23'? is set to the position indicated in Figure 5, a single line-space movement of the platen may be effected. Vihen the regulator is set to the position indicated in Figure 3, the forward end of the linespace pawl 13 is lowered, so that the tooth 16 thereon may engage the line-space wheel 1'? one tooth space sooner than in Figure 5, so that the platen may be rotated through two linespace distanceswhen the line-space lever is operated. A spring 15 may be connected between the line-space pawl 13 and the lower end of the shouldered screw 15 (Figure 3) to urge the tooth 16 of the linespace pawl toward the line-space wheel 17, thus preventing the pawl from accidentally disengaging the line space wheel during line-spacing operations. A detent spring 4L6 may be provided to hold the line space regulator 37 in its various positions. Said detent spring may. be suitably secured to cross-plate or tie-bar 18. (Figure 5) connecting the lefthand end plate 23 with the right-hand end plate (not shown)..

A detent 50 is provided to co-operate with the line-space wheel 17 to justify the platen when line-spaced The detent may comprise a wheel or roller 51 which. is normally held against said line-space wheel, as in Figure 5, and is rotatably supported on a stud 52 betweenears 53 of a flat spring 54. secured to a cross-bar 55 extending between the end plates of the platen frame 24. The line-space detent 50 may be thrown to its ineffective position (Figure 3) by a detentrelease lever 56 pivoted by means of a stud 57 on the end plate 23. The detent-release lever 56 is provided with a cam 56 (Figure 6) which, when the-lever is moved upwardly by a linger-piece 58, engages the stud 52 to move the detent wheel 51 to its ineffective position (Figure The stud; 52 snaps into a notch or cut-out 60 (Figure 6), to maintain the detent-release lever in its operated position, as shown in Figure 3.

Since the carriages inportable machines are light in construction, it will readily be understood that the tension of the usual spring drum (not shown), which feeds the cal iage during typing operation, is also light, and consequently, the carriage may be returned to the beginning of a writing line by the line-space lever 10 before the linespacing of the platen actually takes place,

the line-spacing being delayed by the line space detent 50. In other words, the linespacing of the platen is effected after the carriage has been arrested at the beginning of the writing line. Sometimes, however, it is desirable to line-space the platen without restoring it to the beginning of a writing line. To this end, there is provided a fixed linger-piece 61 on the left-hand end plate 23. The finger-piece is located near, and opposed to, the finger-piece 11 of the linespace lever 10, so that when the latter is en gaged by the forefinger, the fixed fingers piece may be engaged by the thumb of the typist. The line-space lever 10 may then be moved toward the fixed finger-piece 61 by a sort of pinching action of the fingers of the typist. Consequently, the rightward pressure on the finger-piece 11 of the linespace lever is equalized by the leftward pressure on. the lined finger-piece 61, and the platen. isline-spaced without returning it to the beginning of a writing line.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a revoluble platen, a line-space ratchet-wheel, operating means comprising a pawl to engage said line-space wheel to line-space the platen, and meansv comprising a regulator to swing said pawl to or away from the teeth of the line-space. wheel, for pointing said pawl. to different teeth. of the line-space wheel to vary the line-spacing of the platen, said regulator comprising a forked guide embracing the pawl to guide the pawl in its line-spacing movements.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a revoluble platen, a line-space ratchet-wheel, a line-space lever, a substantially horizontally reciprocating slide connected at one end to said line-space lever, the other end of said slide being free, a fixed tooth on the free end of said slide and normally disengaged from the line-space wheel, and means to raise or lower the free end of said slide to change the normal position of the tooth relatively to the line-space wheel to point said tooth to one or another of the teeth of the line-space wheel, to vary the line-spacing of the platen, said means comprising a, forked guide embracing said slide for guiding it in its reciprocating movements.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a revoluble platen on said carriage, a line-space ratchet-wheel.- on said platen, a linespace lever pivoted at its rear end. on said' carriage, an'arm on said lever at an angle thereto, a substantially horizontally movable slide connected to said arm, a tooth on said slide to engage said line-space wheel but normally disengaged therefrom, a spring connected to said arm and to said slideto urge said slide towards said linespace wheel, lixed stops to be engaged directly by said slide to limit the movement of said slide, and means to vary the normal position of said pawl, so that it may engage one or another of the teeth of the line-space wheel when actuated by the line-space lever, said means comprising a forked guide embracing said slide to guide said slide in its line-spacing movements.

4:. The combination with a revoluble platen anda carriage therefor, of a lever mounted upon a vertical pivot on the car" riage and extending forwardly from the carriage for returning the same to begin a new line of writing, an arm provided upon said lever at an angle thereto, a pawl extending from said arm and comprising a tooth, a platen-rotating ratchet-wheel engageable by said tooth, the latter being normally disengaged from the wheel, a guiding plate provided upon said pawl and extending transversely of the platen axle, a forked gulde embracing said plate and mounted loosely upon the platen axle, and a fingerpiece connected to said guide to rock it about said platen axle, the bottom of the slot in said forked guide forming a cam which, when rocked by said finger-piece, points said pawl tooth to a different tooth of said ratchet-wheel.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a revoluble platen and a linespace ratchet-wheel therefor, of a line-spacing pawl arranged transversely to the axis of the line-space wheel and normally disengaged from the teeth of the latter, a slotted ide embracing the pawl for guiding it laterally, and for supporting the pawl, and a finger-piece for shifting said guide to oint the pawl to one or another of the teeth of the line-space wheel, for varying the line-spacing of the platen.

6. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen-frame having an end plate, a revoluble platen, a platen axle journaled in said end plate, a line-space ratchet-wheel connected to the platen between the end thereof and said plate, a carriage-returning line-space lever mounted on a vertical pivot at the end of the platen-frame and having a pawl-operating arm extending towards the line-space wheel, a pawl pivotally connected at its rear end to said. operating arm and at its forward end provided with a tooth normally disengaged from the line-space wheel, a rockable pawl-guiding member pivoted loosely upon the platen axle between the platen and said end plate of the platenframe, said guiding member being slotted. to embrace the pawl for guiding it laterally and also supporting it, the bottom of the slot in said pawl-guiding rockable member forming a cam shiftable around the platen axle to cause said pawl to engage one or -an other of the teeth of the line-space wheel, to vary the line-spacing of the platen, and a finger-piece for rocking said rockable member, projecting to the outer side of said end plate of the platen-frame.

"I. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a revoluble platen and a linespace ratchet-wheel therefor, of a line-spacing pawl arranged transversely to the axis of the line-space wheel and normally disengaged from the teeth of the latter, said pawl having an uninterrupted guiding surface to guide it for substantially tangential movement relative to the ratchetwvheel, to or from its normal position, a guidemember upon which said pawl may slide along said guiding surface substantially tangential to the ratchet-wheel,andafingerpiece for shifting said guide-member to point the pawl to one or to another of the teeth of the line-space Wheel.

8. The combination with a revoluble platen and a carriage therefor, of a carriage-returning line-space lever mounted upon a vertical pivot on the carriage and extending forwardly from the carriage to form a finger-piece, an arm provided upon said lever at an angle thereto, a pawl connected to said arm and having a tooth, a platen-rotating ratchet-wheel engageable by said tooth, the latter being normally disengaged from said wheel, a platen axle, a guiding plate provided upon said pawl and extending transversely of the platen adjacent to the platen axle, said guiding plate having an uninterrupted guiding surface to guide the pawl for substantially tangential movement relatively to the ratchet-wheel, to or from its normal position, a forked guide-member embracing said plate and pivoted loosely upon the platen axle, and a finger-piece connected to said guide-member to rock it about the platen axle, the bottom of the slot in said forked guide-member forming a guide along which said pawl may slide upon said guiding surface substahtially tangential to the ratchet-wheel, and the bottom of said slot also forming a cam which, when rocked by said finger-piece, points said pawl tooth to a different tooth of said ratchet-wheel.

9. The combination with a revoluble platen and a carriage therefor, of a lever mounted upon a vertical pivot on the carriage and extending forwardly from the carriage for returning the same to begin a new line of writing, an arm provided upon said lever at an angle thereto, a pawl extending from said arm and comprising a tooth, a platen-rotating ratchet-wheel engageable by said tooth, the latter being normally disengaged from the wheel, a platen axle, a guiding plate, provided upon said pawl and extending transversely of the platen axle, a forked guide en'ibracing said plate and mounted loosely upon the platen axle, a finger-piece connected to said guide to rock it about said platen axle, the bottom of the slot in said forked guide forming a cam which, when rocked by said fingerpiece, points said pawl tooth to a different teeth. of said ratchet-wheel, a longitudinal slot in said guiding plate on the pawl, and a stop-lug on the carriage entering the slot in the guiding plate to limit the throw of the pawl.

10. The combination with a revoluble platen and a carriage therefor, of a lever mounted upon a vertical pivot on the carriage and extending forwardly from the carriage for returning the same to begin a new line of writing, an arm provided upon said lever at an angle thereto, a pawl extending from said arm and comprising a tooth, a platen-rotating ratchet-Wheel engageable by said tooth, the latter being normally disengaged from the wheel, a platen axle, a guiding plate provided upon said pawl and extending transversely of the platen axle, a forked guide embracing said plate and mounted loosely upon the platen axle, a finger-piece connected to said guide to rock it about said platen axle, the bottom of the slot in said forked guide forming a cam which, when rocked by said fingerpiece, points said pawl tooth to a different tooth of said ratchet-wheel, and a stop on the carriage engageable with the pawl to limit its line-spacing throw, and tozhold the pawl in engagement with the ratchet-wheel to prevent overthrow of the platen.

GEORGE W. CAMPBELL. Witnesses L. M. DOBSON, M. A. PHILLIPS. 

